1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion element and an interconnector-equipped photoelectric conversion element. In particular, the present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion element and an interconnector-equipped photoelectric conversion element capable of reducing occurrence of cracks in a photoelectric conversion layer.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 12 shows a schematic cross sectional view of an exemplary conventional interconnector-equipped photoelectric conversion element. As shown in FIG. 12, the conventional interconnector-equipped photoelectric conversion element includes a photoelectric conversion layer 1 with a thickness of not more than 50 μm including a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of semiconductor layers formed of epitaxially grown monocrystalline thin films and having at least one pn junction, a first electrode pad 8 provided on a surface of photoelectric conversion layer 1, a second electrode pad 4 provided on a surface different from the surface of photoelectric conversion layer 1 on which the first electrode pad 8 is provided, and a third electrode 3 formed of a metal thin film and provided on a surface of a p-type semiconductor layer opposite to the surface on which the second electrode pad 4 is provided. It is further equipped with an interconnector 5. A protective film 7 made of a flexible resin is affixed to both surfaces of photoelectric conversion layer 1 with a transparent adhesive 6 for protection from an ambient environment. Since the conventional interconnector-equipped photoelectric conversion element as described above includes photoelectric conversion layer 1 with a very thin thickness of not more than 50 μm, it has a characteristic of being highly flexible.
As shown in FIG. 13 illustrating a schematic plan view, interconnector 5 is connected to each of a surface of the first electrode pad 8 and a surface of the second electrode pad 4. Surface shapes of the first electrode pad 8 and the second electrode pad 4 and a surface shape of a leading end portion of interconnector 5 each have a corner of 90° to minimize loss of a light receiving area and to maximize a contact area between interconnector 5 and each of the electrode pads described above (see for example Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 06-196744)).